Ladybrille Woman Alum Luvvie Ajayi is the voiceover for Nike campaign titled ‘Forever First,’ which profiles the first woman skeleton athlete from Africa, Simi Adeagbo. Ajayi recently took to her social media page to share her excitement on being a voice-over.
“My TED Talk is about being the first domino that falls inspiring others to follow,” said Ajayi who is also of Nigerian heritage. “Simi is that inspiration. She is the first African woman to compete in Skeleton at the Winter Olympics, and she is representing my homeland, Nigeria. That is why I’m SUPER EXCITED to be the voice of this film! I am inspired by people that move outside their comfort zones. People that do things first, so others can follow. I’m inspired by the #foreverfirst that is SimiSleighs.”
“At Nike, we believe in the significance and legacy one can leave behind through sports. ‘Forever First’ is a film that will inspire others to follow in Simi’s history-making tracks; she is the first and we hope she won’t be the last to do the unthinkable. At Nike, we are proud to have a culture that fosters the power of sport inside and outside the doors of the brand.” said Alissa Jenkins, Brand Director, Nike South Africa, in a statement to the press about the campaign and Simi.
Nigeria has its biggest ever representation at the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South
Korea with Simidele Adeagbo who qualified for the Skeleton competition. Adeagbo, a four-time NCAA All American and triple jump school record holder, is the first female Skeleton athlete from Africa to compete in the Winter Olympics. Skeleton is a single rider winter sport in which an athlete rides a skeleton sled down a frozen track at high speeds while lying face down.
To qualify for the 2018 Olympics, Adeagbo needed to complete five races. Adeagbo has
completed two races in Calgary, Alberta (Canada) and two races in Park City, Utah (U.S.A.). Race
number five was set for January 11, 2018, in Lake Placid, New York (U.S.A.) where she qualified.
Adeagbo’s journey to PyeongChang began in August 2017 after coming out of a 9-year retirement
from track and field to travel from her home base in Johannesburg, South Africa to Houston, Texas to
participate in the first ever Nigerian Bobsled and Skeleton Federation tryouts. After a successful
tryout, she was invited for a team camp in Canada. Ultimately, Adeagbo saw a unique opportunity to
apply her talent and serve her country in the sport of Skeleton and has made the successful transition
into the sport. She’s now looking to break barriers in winter sports through her Olympic quest.
“I want to be an example and inspire others by showing them what’s possible. I want to change the
conversation and the narrative on African women and believe it’s time for the world to see strong,
smart, vivacious, courageous, beautiful and ambitious African women unapologetically blazing a trail
in sports.”
Adeagbo joins Bobsled teammates driver Seun Adigun and brakemen Ngozi Onwumere and
Akuoma Omeoga who completed the fifth of their required five qualifying races in November,
becoming the first athletes from Africa to qualify for the Olympics in the sport.
Watch the campaign with Luvvie Ajayi’s voiceover.
Get to know Luvvie Ajayi, an author, speaker and digital strategist, in this throwback Ladybrille Woman of the Month Interview.
Photo Credit: Candice Ward Photography (@candicewardphotography)
Simi’s social media handle: @SimiSleighs
Website: www.SimiSleighs.com
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